Commonwealth reinstates Victorian funding but blame game continues
AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said today that the Federal AMA welcomes the decision by the Federal Government to put patients before petty politicking by reinstating health funding to the Victorian public hospitals.
Dr Hambleton said it is important that similar action occurs in other States where funding cuts from both levels of government may have led to reduced services for patients.
“The bottom line is that no government should be cutting money from their health budgets, especially when they are under enormous pressure to meet demand as they are right now,” Dr Hambleton said.
“Health needs funding increases, not cuts, but we cannot maintain the band-aid approach to hospital funding.
“We need to see greater cooperation between our governments to get the best possible outcome for people who are who are experiencing long waits for surgery or who are injured and need to get into Emergency.
“The doctors and nurses working in the public hospitals also need certainty about the important work they perform.
“The AMA Public Hospital Report Card last week put the spotlight on the problems in our hospitals and offered real practical solutions to allow the hospitals run efficiently with appropriate guaranteed funding.
“Stop the fighting and start the funding,” Dr Hambleton said.
21 February, 2013
CONTACT: John Flannery 02 6270 5477 / 0419 494 761
